Tier 3 restrictions 'could be the nail in the coffin' for Wakefield's pubs, landlord warns

The introduction of Tier 3 restrictions in Wakefield could be ‘the nail in the coffin’ for many struggling pubs and bars, it has been suggested.
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Tony Padgett runs The Black Horse in the city centre, and has spent the last few weeks working to adapt his business to the Tier 2 guidelines.

Among the changes Tony and his staff have made are the installation of heaters and overhead canopies to improve the appeal of the pub’s outdoor terrace, the reintroduction of their unlimited brunch menu and the return of live music from local musicians.

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And Tony believes offering people the chance to meet friends outdoors has made all the difference to the pub in recent weeks.

Tony Padgett runs The Black Horse in the city centre, and has spent the last few weeks working to adapt his business to the Tier 2 guidelines.Tony Padgett runs The Black Horse in the city centre, and has spent the last few weeks working to adapt his business to the Tier 2 guidelines.
Tony Padgett runs The Black Horse in the city centre, and has spent the last few weeks working to adapt his business to the Tier 2 guidelines.

He said: “We’ve started doing live music outside again. The interest has been tremendous because we’re the only area where people can meet with friends and sit outside.

“We’ve had a few sails put up in the beer garden which cover about two thirds and make it a nice area to sit out in groups of up to six.

“We have a large outdoor area where we can accommodate 60 or 70 people comfortably. It’s cost us a small fortune but I think it will enable us to continue trading.

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“It’s helped us stay open and it’s saved jobs. We’re actually now going to be looking to hire again. It’s good for us and it’s good for Wakefield.

“For a lot of people going to the pub is the only way they get to interact with other people. It’s so difficult to do that this year.

“We’re all working very, very hard to keep giving the people that come in the experience that they want and that’s to be able to forget about everything else for a while, have something to eat, see a few friends and just be normal for a while. That’s what it’s about.”

When the UK entered lockdown in March, Tony says many publicans assumed the restrictions would only be short-lived, and they would be able to make up any lost money over the Christmas period.

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But as the festive season approaches, it is becoming clear that this will not be the case.

He said: “Last year we started getting Christmas groups in from the beginning of November.

“On a good Friday we would get over 4,500 people through the door, and there were loads of other venues in Wakefield that got the same or more.

“We rely on December to get us through January and February. That’s not going to happen this year because we can’t get the crowds in.”

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And Tony is now concerned that his pub may suffer further in the coming weeks, as Tier 3 restrictions, which include stricter measures for pubs and bar, come into effect.

The 10pm curfew, which is currently in effect at pubs across England, has already been detrimental to business in the city centre, Tony says, and additional restrictions will only serve to stifle trade further.

He said: “It could be the nail in the coffin for quite a few establishments.

“All anybody can do is carry on trying to create an environment that people want to come and sit in, where they can enjoy themselves and forget about Covid for a little bit.

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“When we changed into the 10 o’clock curfew it was like the lights went out. Trade dropped more than I’ve ever seen it, we were wondering if it was worth remaining open.

“They're all things that have been put in place for the right reasons but if we’re going to close we need grants like we had before.

“Nobody profits out of that but it helps us to get through. Without that sort of help people will be closing their pubs permanently.

“When we haven’t got the income coming in it has to come out of our savings.

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“It means when we do reopen eventually we’re on such a back foot it will be years before we’re back to a profit again. A lot of people will be saying they can’t do it.”

Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week announced changes to the government-backed Jobs Support Scheme, which provides financial support to those whose jobs are at risk from the pandemic.

Speaking in the Commons, he said the new scheme, which includes additional support for self-employed people, would be "more generous for employers", and confirmed that businesses would be able to backdate claims to August.

Further advice and financial support for businesses is available on the government website.